Wildfire Survivors - ABC Radio National, Encounter Program

13 May 2007

Are wildfires necessarily all bad news for Australian wildlife? 

Nick Franklin reports for ABC Radio National's Encounter Program on an ambitious research project into the effects of fire on wildlife, which is being conducted by Professor David Lindenmayer's team at the Australian National University. 

"Wildfire survivors" includes an interview with Darren Brown, the inaugural recipient of the Rick Farley Memorial Scholarship for indigenous people working in conservation.  Darren describes his training and research experiences, working alongside his community at Jervis Bay and his university mentor Chris MacGregor.

The Jervis Bay Fire Response Study is monitoring the recovery of animals after the 2003 bush fire to provide critical knowledge for future fire management.  This research in the Booderee National Park at Jervis Bay requires a successful working relationship with the traditional owners of the park.